Sorry for lack of updates here, but I have been having trouble with this page. December 2012 is the last month for the collective, so you can still follow the project on Tumblr.
The Black Swan Collective: Support Indie Art Project
A couple of years ago, I decided to combine my love of the arts with my independent scholarship. I tried to start a group called The Black Swan Collective. Unfortunately, there was little interest for others to join me in this endeavor even with the opportunity for free promotion.
I have not given up on this goal, but I am learning new ways to go about it. I am reviving this Collective, but I will not rely on others to submit work to me. I blogged earlier about a small project I will work on that supports indie artists. The artists that I find to support are automatically part of the Collective.
I do not know how this experiment will work out, but I will be investing my own resources into this project and hopefully give some exposure to some hardworking and worthy artists. I hope you will follow along with me on this year-long project and find some artists to support in their work.
So far, I have plans for the first four months of the year and one summer month, so I have to look for seven more artists to promote during the year. Maybe this will be fun.
A couple of years ago, I decided to combine my love of the arts with my independent scholarship. I tried to start a group called The Black Swan Collective. Unfortunately, there was little interest for others to join me in this endeavor even with the opportunity for free promotion.
I have not given up on this goal, but I am learning new ways to go about it. I am reviving this Collective, but I will not rely on others to submit work to me. I blogged earlier about a small project I will work on that supports indie artists. The artists that I find to support are automatically part of the Collective.
I do not know how this experiment will work out, but I will be investing my own resources into this project and hopefully give some exposure to some hardworking and worthy artists. I hope you will follow along with me on this year-long project and find some artists to support in their work.
So far, I have plans for the first four months of the year and one summer month, so I have to look for seven more artists to promote during the year. Maybe this will be fun.
The Black Swan Collective
September 2012
This Month's Feature: Artwork
The Project: Artists on Deviant Art
The Black Swan Collective
August 2012
This Month's Feature: Peace Images
The Project: Handmade Jewelry
The Black Swan Collective
July 2012
This Month's Feature: Inda Lauryn
The Project: Ebooks and Web Series
There are a lot of things going on this month and I had a hell of a time deciding what to do for this month’s features. I am silently celebrating one year since I took a leap of faith and left my hometown in Tennessee for the northern, Midwestern climates of Wisconsin. I have finally moved into a new apartment in the part of Madison I really love and hope that I can be happy here a long time. I also signed up to do Clarion West’s Write-a-thon and have gotten quite a bit done towards my goals for the project. So it occurred to me that this month was the right time to promote my own work.
If anyone has been following the posts over at Kismet Fantasy, http://c2kfantasy.yolasite.com, you will know that a couple of years ago, I posted a web series called The Final Resistance. Well, I have been working on revisions and have decided to make it available as a free ebook. This is to celebrate the launch of my new series, The Walrus Chronicles. Both of these works are examples of what I write in fantasy, yet they are very different series. While the former is an epic adventure of sorts, the latter is much less ambitious although I believe still interesting for the premise. With this work, I am looking at the experiences of four women who inexplicably find themselves experiencing the lives of others who are aware of their presence. We’ll see how this goes.
Why I Am Supporting This Work
I began the collective with the hope of supporting artists, especially black female artists, who do not get the type of exposure they deserve for their work. These women usually cross boundaries and eschew them altogether, so they do not fit into the scope of more popular and mainstream works. In all honesty, I would love to believe that my work fits into this description. I began to write the types of stories I don’t often read in most of the literature I love. I soon found myself obsessed with writing and telling stories. I believe that my writing continues to grow stronger with each thing I attempt and I am particularly proud of The Final Resistance since I was able to start it and stay with it.
I also figured that I need to become much more assertive, aggressively actually, with self-promotion. If there is one quality I have, it is that I believe in myself even when I feel no one else does. I have been navigating the waters of self- and independently published works for some time now and do feel that I have managed to differentiate myself from some of the worst that I have seen. This is not to say that I am among the best, but I do believe I offer something that is not currently found in much of our media.
While I am offering free works on the website, I hope that those of you who find and enjoy these works will do what you can to support it. I hope that you will also decide to leave a little something in the tip jar so that I can continue to offer quality works that features people of color. Even if you feel there are some things I could be doing better, I hope you will still take the time to welcome a new(er) writer into your collections. For now, I have to welcome myself, Inda Lauryn, into the Collective.
If anyone has been following the posts over at Kismet Fantasy, http://c2kfantasy.yolasite.com, you will know that a couple of years ago, I posted a web series called The Final Resistance. Well, I have been working on revisions and have decided to make it available as a free ebook. This is to celebrate the launch of my new series, The Walrus Chronicles. Both of these works are examples of what I write in fantasy, yet they are very different series. While the former is an epic adventure of sorts, the latter is much less ambitious although I believe still interesting for the premise. With this work, I am looking at the experiences of four women who inexplicably find themselves experiencing the lives of others who are aware of their presence. We’ll see how this goes.
Why I Am Supporting This Work
I began the collective with the hope of supporting artists, especially black female artists, who do not get the type of exposure they deserve for their work. These women usually cross boundaries and eschew them altogether, so they do not fit into the scope of more popular and mainstream works. In all honesty, I would love to believe that my work fits into this description. I began to write the types of stories I don’t often read in most of the literature I love. I soon found myself obsessed with writing and telling stories. I believe that my writing continues to grow stronger with each thing I attempt and I am particularly proud of The Final Resistance since I was able to start it and stay with it.
I also figured that I need to become much more assertive, aggressively actually, with self-promotion. If there is one quality I have, it is that I believe in myself even when I feel no one else does. I have been navigating the waters of self- and independently published works for some time now and do feel that I have managed to differentiate myself from some of the worst that I have seen. This is not to say that I am among the best, but I do believe I offer something that is not currently found in much of our media.
While I am offering free works on the website, I hope that those of you who find and enjoy these works will do what you can to support it. I hope that you will also decide to leave a little something in the tip jar so that I can continue to offer quality works that features people of color. Even if you feel there are some things I could be doing better, I hope you will still take the time to welcome a new(er) writer into your collections. For now, I have to welcome myself, Inda Lauryn, into the Collective.
June 2012
The Black Swan Collective
This Month's Feature: Res
The Project: Women Who Make the Music
So May took a lot out of me both financially and mentally, so I won’t be able to do the Collective like I usually do this month. However, I am still posting for someone to whom I think you should pay more attention. A few years ago when I was downloading, I came across a song called “They Say Vision” but knew nothing about the artist behind it. I then got to know Res after doing a little digging and decided to buy her CD How I Do. Although I liked “Golden Boys” and “They-Say Vision,” I thought to myself the album should have been heavier on the rock. After re-listening a few times, I realized I was wrong. Since Res has released a free album on the Net (yay!), she is this month’s Swan and I am re-posting a blog post I wrote years ago about her album. Hopefully, she will get more of the attention she deserves with this new release. And by the way, if you can find her version of the Neptunes produced “You Know What,” do it. With that, I would like to welcome Res to the Collective.
Original Post:
Flashback: Res’ How I Do
In general, I tend to hate labeling although I do understand its usefulness at times. In that regard, I understand many singers’ rejection of the neo-soul label while simultaneously embracing its usefulness as a marketing strategy separating them from canned R&B. I discussed this little paradox in my book, but I won’t go into the details here. However, I must admit that I am guilty of labeling or trying to force labels on others as much as I pride myself on being eclectic.
Both I and the music industry attempted to wrongly label Res’ How I Do. The industry foisted the neo-soul label upon the album while I made the judgment that it should have inclined more toward the rock rooted in “They-Say Vision.” For years, I rode my high horse in recognizing that Res had no business being labeled neo-soul (and misreading the title of her album as How Do I). But I assumed that she wanted to be much more of a rock artist than perhaps she was allowed in an industry that still insists upon marketing (female) artists according to looks rather than sound. After all, the one blatantly rock track “Say It Anyway” is included as a hidden track.
However, a few months ago, I re-listened to How I Do in full with fresh ears and the weight of my own ignorance slapped me in the face. Although it is still definitely not neo-soul, it also did not want or need to be more rock-oriented as I initially judged. In fact, How I Do is a perfect example of an eclectic piece of work seamlessly blending and eschewing boundaries of genre even more successfully than the debut efforts by Macy Gray and Robin Thicke.
Not even the best produced tracks from high-priced hit makers such as the Neptunes, Timbaland and Kanye West can hold a candle to “Golden Boys,” probably the track that earned Res the neo-soul label. The aforementioned “They-Say Vision” is only a small example of the clever and sometimes cryptic songwriting Res employs through much of the album. The title track alone is enough to leave you scratching your head while simultaneously nodding it.
Ultimately, it is possible this unique combination that explains why Res was not as successful as her more predictable and easily labeled contemporaries. It has been shown time and again that the industry rarely allows a black woman to step out of its genre boundaries while celebrating these tendencies in artists such as Beck. Fortunately, every once in a while, a Res comes along to show that black women will continue to break limits and expectations in an industry unwilling to accept the full extent of their creativity.
Original Post:
Flashback: Res’ How I Do
In general, I tend to hate labeling although I do understand its usefulness at times. In that regard, I understand many singers’ rejection of the neo-soul label while simultaneously embracing its usefulness as a marketing strategy separating them from canned R&B. I discussed this little paradox in my book, but I won’t go into the details here. However, I must admit that I am guilty of labeling or trying to force labels on others as much as I pride myself on being eclectic.
Both I and the music industry attempted to wrongly label Res’ How I Do. The industry foisted the neo-soul label upon the album while I made the judgment that it should have inclined more toward the rock rooted in “They-Say Vision.” For years, I rode my high horse in recognizing that Res had no business being labeled neo-soul (and misreading the title of her album as How Do I). But I assumed that she wanted to be much more of a rock artist than perhaps she was allowed in an industry that still insists upon marketing (female) artists according to looks rather than sound. After all, the one blatantly rock track “Say It Anyway” is included as a hidden track.
However, a few months ago, I re-listened to How I Do in full with fresh ears and the weight of my own ignorance slapped me in the face. Although it is still definitely not neo-soul, it also did not want or need to be more rock-oriented as I initially judged. In fact, How I Do is a perfect example of an eclectic piece of work seamlessly blending and eschewing boundaries of genre even more successfully than the debut efforts by Macy Gray and Robin Thicke.
Not even the best produced tracks from high-priced hit makers such as the Neptunes, Timbaland and Kanye West can hold a candle to “Golden Boys,” probably the track that earned Res the neo-soul label. The aforementioned “They-Say Vision” is only a small example of the clever and sometimes cryptic songwriting Res employs through much of the album. The title track alone is enough to leave you scratching your head while simultaneously nodding it.
Ultimately, it is possible this unique combination that explains why Res was not as successful as her more predictable and easily labeled contemporaries. It has been shown time and again that the industry rarely allows a black woman to step out of its genre boundaries while celebrating these tendencies in artists such as Beck. Fortunately, every once in a while, a Res comes along to show that black women will continue to break limits and expectations in an industry unwilling to accept the full extent of their creativity.
May 2012
The Black Swan Collective
This Month's Feature: Between Women
The Project: Web Series
I have lately been contemplating the role the Internet is playing in our ability to create media for ourselves by ourselves. In fact, I recently had a short piece included in People of Color Organize (http://peopleofcolor.tumblr.com/post/18655047658/black-film-and-new-media-saturday-culture) in which I ask if we should turn to outlets like the Internet without worrying so much if our representations will be accepted by the mainstream.
I was glad to find out that the web show Awkward Black Girl was met with much success. However, even as I predicted network executives would want to change the show to fit in with its idea of who they think the audience is, I never dreamed they would actually ask Issa Rae to cast a 40-something-year-old white woman as awkward black girl. Seriously, this happened.
In the middle of this, I think about a show that has recently caught more of my attention: Between Women. This show is unique in a few areas in that it is not only focused on the lives of black lesbians, but the cast also consists entirely of black women. I occasionally go back to this show and was pleasantly surprised to look at my schedule for the Collective and see that I had already planned to support this show in May.
For those who don’t know, Between Women is a show that revolves around 10 black women, with a primary cast of 6 characters, in Atlanta and has aired on the Net since mid-December of 2011. Writer and producer Michelle Daniels has created well-rounded characters getting through their day to day lives with each other and the world that surrounds them.
Why I Am Supporting This Show
I have already mentioned the changes network executives want for Awkward Black Girl and hope this situation works itself out. Between Women is also looking for a network home and just may have to fight the same battles Issa Rae and company are looking at now. However, right now, I am content to have a show focused on the lives of black women that is a drama. Of course, there are funny moments throughout the show, but when was the last time we had a black woman-driven drama anywhere?
Also, I have my reservations that any network would pick up a black woman centered show with a blatant lesbian theme, especially one that deals with issues such as relationship violence that not only sympathizes with the victim but also does not demonize or caricature the aggressor. These are three-dimensional people with a full range of emotions and life experiences.
Of course, much of the show focuses on relationships, which is quite common in all kinds of story arcs. The characters have their own insecurities, anxieties and other issues when it comes to their relationships as well as their sexual desires. The primary difference here is that these women have so much more to them than stereotypical sexuality assigned to black women in media representations. We care about what happens to them beyond their bedrooms and want to see them succeed.
With so few diverse representations of black women in any media outlet available, Between Women is a refreshing change. While Shonda Rhimes can be commended for her success with shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, I have to admit I cannot fully get into these types of shows that have the same kind of writing and story arcs. I like this world full of black women who have carved a space for themselves where they are comfortable and live life as they want. This is only one of the reasons I would like to welcome Between Women to the Collective.
I was glad to find out that the web show Awkward Black Girl was met with much success. However, even as I predicted network executives would want to change the show to fit in with its idea of who they think the audience is, I never dreamed they would actually ask Issa Rae to cast a 40-something-year-old white woman as awkward black girl. Seriously, this happened.
In the middle of this, I think about a show that has recently caught more of my attention: Between Women. This show is unique in a few areas in that it is not only focused on the lives of black lesbians, but the cast also consists entirely of black women. I occasionally go back to this show and was pleasantly surprised to look at my schedule for the Collective and see that I had already planned to support this show in May.
For those who don’t know, Between Women is a show that revolves around 10 black women, with a primary cast of 6 characters, in Atlanta and has aired on the Net since mid-December of 2011. Writer and producer Michelle Daniels has created well-rounded characters getting through their day to day lives with each other and the world that surrounds them.
Why I Am Supporting This Show
I have already mentioned the changes network executives want for Awkward Black Girl and hope this situation works itself out. Between Women is also looking for a network home and just may have to fight the same battles Issa Rae and company are looking at now. However, right now, I am content to have a show focused on the lives of black women that is a drama. Of course, there are funny moments throughout the show, but when was the last time we had a black woman-driven drama anywhere?
Also, I have my reservations that any network would pick up a black woman centered show with a blatant lesbian theme, especially one that deals with issues such as relationship violence that not only sympathizes with the victim but also does not demonize or caricature the aggressor. These are three-dimensional people with a full range of emotions and life experiences.
Of course, much of the show focuses on relationships, which is quite common in all kinds of story arcs. The characters have their own insecurities, anxieties and other issues when it comes to their relationships as well as their sexual desires. The primary difference here is that these women have so much more to them than stereotypical sexuality assigned to black women in media representations. We care about what happens to them beyond their bedrooms and want to see them succeed.
With so few diverse representations of black women in any media outlet available, Between Women is a refreshing change. While Shonda Rhimes can be commended for her success with shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, I have to admit I cannot fully get into these types of shows that have the same kind of writing and story arcs. I like this world full of black women who have carved a space for themselves where they are comfortable and live life as they want. This is only one of the reasons I would like to welcome Between Women to the Collective.
April 2012
The Black Swan Collective
This Month's Feature: Rebecca Jordan (The Women Who Make the Music)
The Project: Music Artists
Anyone who knows me knows I live and breathe music from the moment I get up until the moment I lie down to sleep. Headphones are a constant everywhere I go even if I am only going down the street. At any given moment, I may be listening to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” or Lizz Wright’s “My Heart.
These days, I am learning to trust downloading more even if I almost immediately transfer my files to CD just in case. Also, I have to be picky about the music I buy since I am on a budget and I want to be careful about who I support. Needless to say that the bulk of my music collection as of late is filled with some very remarkable music artists, some I am just getting to know and others of whom I have been a longtime fan. It is in this spirit that I honor some remarkable sisters in music who just cannot get enough praise for the music they make.
This month, I am continuing with my look into women who make music. The primary Black Swan this month is Rebecca Jordan. I have been a fan of hers for nearly ten years when I came across her debut album Remember to Breathe. I loved Jordan’s beautiful pure voice and the fact that she used it to create a rock-driven album that left her out of the acceptable bounds for black women in music.
As I was also beginning to discover downloading, I found several other songs including one that would be included on Jordan’s next album, the wonderfully acoustic The Trouble with Fiction. Among the six tracks included on the EP was the cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” gloriously revamped. However, there are also other tracks that not only show off Jordan’s voice but also showed the new direction her music was taking with the group The Dreaming Ferns.
Just last year, I visited her site http://music.rebeccajordan.com/ and found that she was offering a new three-song EP with a name your own price option. I happily paid $5 for it knowing the money was going toward the making of a new album. The three songs include “Beautiful Disaster,” which was performed by Kelly Clarkson but does not compare to Jordan’s own rendition. In the meantime, Jordan has also announced a new album forthcoming as she works and performs out of New York.
Why I Am Supporting This Music
I have no music talent whatsoever, but I admire the hell out of those who do. I especially love voices and Jordan has one of the most beautiful in the business right now. Also, I will forever admire her effort from 1998’s Remember to Breathe as I wished it was something I had had when I was 14. I didn’t then, but I do now because even in my 30s, I need to be reminded that little black girls everywhere still need to know that there is someone out there who knows what they go through every day. Also, I have the excuse to get reacquainted with her music as I embark on a new nonfiction work exploring the works of black women who make music outside of R&B and hip hop.
I do not know Jordan nor have I ever had any interaction with her, but she is one of only a handful of music artists I have followed for more than a couple of years and find that she never disappoints. If this were a just world, she would be just as well known as any of the pop and R&B stars currently drawing huge audiences to stadiums and large venues. Alas, Jordan chooses to be her own woman and settles for giving her all to the music she knows how to make. We may honor other women who make music this month, but for now we would like to welcome Rebecca Jordan to the Collective.
These days, I am learning to trust downloading more even if I almost immediately transfer my files to CD just in case. Also, I have to be picky about the music I buy since I am on a budget and I want to be careful about who I support. Needless to say that the bulk of my music collection as of late is filled with some very remarkable music artists, some I am just getting to know and others of whom I have been a longtime fan. It is in this spirit that I honor some remarkable sisters in music who just cannot get enough praise for the music they make.
This month, I am continuing with my look into women who make music. The primary Black Swan this month is Rebecca Jordan. I have been a fan of hers for nearly ten years when I came across her debut album Remember to Breathe. I loved Jordan’s beautiful pure voice and the fact that she used it to create a rock-driven album that left her out of the acceptable bounds for black women in music.
As I was also beginning to discover downloading, I found several other songs including one that would be included on Jordan’s next album, the wonderfully acoustic The Trouble with Fiction. Among the six tracks included on the EP was the cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” gloriously revamped. However, there are also other tracks that not only show off Jordan’s voice but also showed the new direction her music was taking with the group The Dreaming Ferns.
Just last year, I visited her site http://music.rebeccajordan.com/ and found that she was offering a new three-song EP with a name your own price option. I happily paid $5 for it knowing the money was going toward the making of a new album. The three songs include “Beautiful Disaster,” which was performed by Kelly Clarkson but does not compare to Jordan’s own rendition. In the meantime, Jordan has also announced a new album forthcoming as she works and performs out of New York.
Why I Am Supporting This Music
I have no music talent whatsoever, but I admire the hell out of those who do. I especially love voices and Jordan has one of the most beautiful in the business right now. Also, I will forever admire her effort from 1998’s Remember to Breathe as I wished it was something I had had when I was 14. I didn’t then, but I do now because even in my 30s, I need to be reminded that little black girls everywhere still need to know that there is someone out there who knows what they go through every day. Also, I have the excuse to get reacquainted with her music as I embark on a new nonfiction work exploring the works of black women who make music outside of R&B and hip hop.
I do not know Jordan nor have I ever had any interaction with her, but she is one of only a handful of music artists I have followed for more than a couple of years and find that she never disappoints. If this were a just world, she would be just as well known as any of the pop and R&B stars currently drawing huge audiences to stadiums and large venues. Alas, Jordan chooses to be her own woman and settles for giving her all to the music she knows how to make. We may honor other women who make music this month, but for now we would like to welcome Rebecca Jordan to the Collective.
March 2012
The Black Swan Collective
This Month’s Feature: Women Who Make the Music
The Project: Music Artists
The Black Swan Collective
This Month’s Feature: Women Who Make the Music
The Project: Music Artists
Anyone who knows me knows I live and breathe music from the moment I get up until the moment I lie down to sleep. Headphones are a constant everywhere I go even if I am only going down the street. At any given moment, I may be listening to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” or Lizz Wright’s “My Heart.
These days, I am learning to trust downloading more even if I almost immediately transfer my files to CD just in case. Also, I have to be picky about the music I buy since I am on a budget and I want to be careful about who I support. Needless to say that the bulk of my music collection as of late is filled with some very remarkable music artists, some I am just getting to know and others of whom I have been a longtime fan. It is in this spirit that I honor some remarkable sisters in music who just cannot get enough praise for the music they make.
This month, I am starting with a woman of whom I have been a fan for nearly 15 years: the incomparable Imani Coppola, known to many as the voice behind Little Jackie. I bought Chupacabra during my first year in college and have been a devoted fan ever since then. I even sent away for a copy of an album of hers that remained unreleased, Post Traumatic Pop Syndrome, and was deeply disappointed having never received it.
However, last year, I somehow stumbled upon a link that led me to an online music store called Nimbit. Coppola was giving away free copies of her album Free Spirit. Of course I downloaded it right away. However, I also took note that she had lots of other music available for sale at the site and vowed to buy it as soon as possible. Obviously, it took a few months, but I am listening to selections from The Vocal Stylings of Imani Coppola as I write this.
Why I Am Supporting This Music
I have no music talent whatsoever, but I admire the hell out of those who do. The one thing I have loved about Coppola throughout her career is that she simply cannot compromise her artistic vision no matter how much she wants to be a star. Unfortunately, those who may be put off by her quirky and unconventional style do not give her the credit she deserves, so she has been relegated to being the darling of music snobs like myself.
I do not know Coppola nor have I ever had any interaction with her, but she is one of only a handful of music artists I have followed for more than a couple of years and find that she never disappoints. If this were a just world, she would be just as well known as any of the pop and R&B stars currently drawing huge audiences to stadiums and large venues. Alas, Coppola chooses to be her own woman and settles for giving her all to the music she knows how to make. We may honor other women who make music this month, but for now we would like to welcome Imani Coppola to the Collective.
These days, I am learning to trust downloading more even if I almost immediately transfer my files to CD just in case. Also, I have to be picky about the music I buy since I am on a budget and I want to be careful about who I support. Needless to say that the bulk of my music collection as of late is filled with some very remarkable music artists, some I am just getting to know and others of whom I have been a longtime fan. It is in this spirit that I honor some remarkable sisters in music who just cannot get enough praise for the music they make.
This month, I am starting with a woman of whom I have been a fan for nearly 15 years: the incomparable Imani Coppola, known to many as the voice behind Little Jackie. I bought Chupacabra during my first year in college and have been a devoted fan ever since then. I even sent away for a copy of an album of hers that remained unreleased, Post Traumatic Pop Syndrome, and was deeply disappointed having never received it.
However, last year, I somehow stumbled upon a link that led me to an online music store called Nimbit. Coppola was giving away free copies of her album Free Spirit. Of course I downloaded it right away. However, I also took note that she had lots of other music available for sale at the site and vowed to buy it as soon as possible. Obviously, it took a few months, but I am listening to selections from The Vocal Stylings of Imani Coppola as I write this.
Why I Am Supporting This Music
I have no music talent whatsoever, but I admire the hell out of those who do. The one thing I have loved about Coppola throughout her career is that she simply cannot compromise her artistic vision no matter how much she wants to be a star. Unfortunately, those who may be put off by her quirky and unconventional style do not give her the credit she deserves, so she has been relegated to being the darling of music snobs like myself.
I do not know Coppola nor have I ever had any interaction with her, but she is one of only a handful of music artists I have followed for more than a couple of years and find that she never disappoints. If this were a just world, she would be just as well known as any of the pop and R&B stars currently drawing huge audiences to stadiums and large venues. Alas, Coppola chooses to be her own woman and settles for giving her all to the music she knows how to make. We may honor other women who make music this month, but for now we would like to welcome Imani Coppola to the Collective.
February 2012
The Black Swan Collective
This Month’s Feature: Kim Salaam
The Project: Wooden Jewelry and Accessories
The Black Swan Collective
This Month’s Feature: Kim Salaam
The Project: Wooden Jewelry and Accessories
I must issue a small disclaimer here. I am not a fashionista. In fact, I have no fashion sense at all. However, I typically come across something I like every once in a while. Many of the people I “friend” on Facebook are artists in some way or another. One of those friends posts her wooden earring designs daily on the site. I did not pay much attention at first because 1) I don’t have pierced ears and 2) I did not realize these were her original designs.
Then I fell in love with a purse I saw, a wooden purse with a beautiful “Soul Sis” design prominently displayed on its top. I decided then that I would like to have one. I requested some customization with my Conceding to Kismet symbol since customized designs are allowed. After a brief correspondence with the owner of DiligentHands2, Kim Salaam, I placed an order for my small wooden purse.
Unfortunately, I do not have the purse in my hands just yet and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. In the meantime, you can visit Kim’s shop on Etsy.com and see the many beautiful designs in earrings, purses and other accessories she has available. If you want to see the small purse I ordered, check it out right here and look at other designs available at the shop:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/55876465/small-woodburn-purse
Why I Am Supporting This Shop
As I mentioned, I am not into fashion and have no fashion sense whatsoever. However, I do sometimes find it amazing that so many people can spend hundreds of dollars on designer clothes and accessories just to have something with someone else’s name on it. Furthermore, we all know that those designs are usually created under horrible conditions for workers who barely see a fraction of the money designers get for these expensive designs.
I have recently started looking at Fair Trade options and while I do believe this can be beneficial to artisans around the world, I wanted to support an artist working here at home who does not get the kind of exposure others may get. I do not wear earrings, but I do love the Afrocentric and original designs in Kim’s work. Also, I love that I get to support an independent artisan and her work. In this spirit, I would like to welcome Kim to the Collective.
Then I fell in love with a purse I saw, a wooden purse with a beautiful “Soul Sis” design prominently displayed on its top. I decided then that I would like to have one. I requested some customization with my Conceding to Kismet symbol since customized designs are allowed. After a brief correspondence with the owner of DiligentHands2, Kim Salaam, I placed an order for my small wooden purse.
Unfortunately, I do not have the purse in my hands just yet and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. In the meantime, you can visit Kim’s shop on Etsy.com and see the many beautiful designs in earrings, purses and other accessories she has available. If you want to see the small purse I ordered, check it out right here and look at other designs available at the shop:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/55876465/small-woodburn-purse
Why I Am Supporting This Shop
As I mentioned, I am not into fashion and have no fashion sense whatsoever. However, I do sometimes find it amazing that so many people can spend hundreds of dollars on designer clothes and accessories just to have something with someone else’s name on it. Furthermore, we all know that those designs are usually created under horrible conditions for workers who barely see a fraction of the money designers get for these expensive designs.
I have recently started looking at Fair Trade options and while I do believe this can be beneficial to artisans around the world, I wanted to support an artist working here at home who does not get the kind of exposure others may get. I do not wear earrings, but I do love the Afrocentric and original designs in Kim’s work. Also, I love that I get to support an independent artisan and her work. In this spirit, I would like to welcome Kim to the Collective.
January 2012
The Black Swan Collective
This Month’s Feature: Shawn Harris
The Project: A Stage Play
The Black Swan Collective
This Month’s Feature: Shawn Harris
The Project: A Stage Play
I am sending out the January edition of The Black Swan Artist Collective a bit early because of the artist I am featuring this month. I have decided to support Shawn Harris as she works to stage her independent production Tulpa, or Anne&Me. This original play explores race in a grassroots theater setting in New York.
Unfortunately from my Madison location, I will not be able to attend a performance, but having not seen any indie theater featuring many people of color here, I still want to support it any way I can. I have enjoyed corresponding with Harris via social networks and commend her efforts in giving this play another run. However, she has only raised a fourth of the funds she needs to get this play moving again and is working on fundraising effort until January 12th.
With this work, Harris seeks to find new, more productive ways to discuss race issues without relying upon stereotypical representations or old archetypes that continue to plague people of color in all kinds of media. From its first run, she has gotten much critical acclaim and a very positive response from those fortunate enough to see the work onstage. She has posted some of these responses on http://afro-dyte.livejournal.com/35818.html to explain why she is continuing to work toward getting this work back in the theater.
Why I Am Supporting This Project
I rarely get the chance to see live theater, even less to see quality theater with people of color portrayed as three-dimensional, complicated human beings. Even with my brief but always colorful correspondence with Harris, I can see that she will bring a refreshing if sometimes complicated voice to theater. So for the month of January, I would like to welcome Shawn Harris, aka RVCBard to the Black Swan Artist Collective.
http://www.indiegogo.com/tulpa2012?a=356790
http://www.indiegogo.com/tulpa2011?a=356790
http://rvcbard.blogspot.com/2010/10/brief-encounter-true-story.html
http://arsmarginal.wordpress.com/
Unfortunately from my Madison location, I will not be able to attend a performance, but having not seen any indie theater featuring many people of color here, I still want to support it any way I can. I have enjoyed corresponding with Harris via social networks and commend her efforts in giving this play another run. However, she has only raised a fourth of the funds she needs to get this play moving again and is working on fundraising effort until January 12th.
With this work, Harris seeks to find new, more productive ways to discuss race issues without relying upon stereotypical representations or old archetypes that continue to plague people of color in all kinds of media. From its first run, she has gotten much critical acclaim and a very positive response from those fortunate enough to see the work onstage. She has posted some of these responses on http://afro-dyte.livejournal.com/35818.html to explain why she is continuing to work toward getting this work back in the theater.
Why I Am Supporting This Project
I rarely get the chance to see live theater, even less to see quality theater with people of color portrayed as three-dimensional, complicated human beings. Even with my brief but always colorful correspondence with Harris, I can see that she will bring a refreshing if sometimes complicated voice to theater. So for the month of January, I would like to welcome Shawn Harris, aka RVCBard to the Black Swan Artist Collective.
http://www.indiegogo.com/tulpa2012?a=356790
http://www.indiegogo.com/tulpa2011?a=356790
http://rvcbard.blogspot.com/2010/10/brief-encounter-true-story.html
http://arsmarginal.wordpress.com/
This blog first appeared in December 2008 and was the initial inspiration for the Black Swan Collective. Since I am considering trying to get this collective started again, I will repost this blog to give an idea of what Black Swan means to me.
I was watching one of my favorite television shows, Numb3rs, when I heard an absolutely fascinating concept called “the black swan.” So far, I haven’t looked it up to check it’s validity as a true theory or just a plausible sounding one made for television, but I find it intriguing regardless. This is the gist:
Europeans once believed all swans were white, a belief corresponding to their limited experience and worldview. However, once they “discovered” Australia, they found swans there that were black. As a result, Europeans had to change their concept of a swan.
As a black woman, I find this concept comforting. As a black female writer, I find it downright useful and validating. Not only have I found a possible title for a collection of short stories I hope to release in the near future, but I’ve also found a means of marketing. Once again, I feel validated in my quest to offer my own brand of literature outside the current trend. Just because people aren’t immediately familiar with it doesn’t mean it can’t be accepted.
I’ve personally never been or tried to be someone else’s expectations. I try to reflect this in my fiction, mostly by not confining myself to just one genre. I know I’ve previously written that I don’t have much interest in either reading or writing the current popular genres of urban/street lit and erotica. Yet, I continue to believe there is an audience out there for (like) me.
If there’s one thing I learned from my grad school experience it’s that people hate to be confronted with something they don’t recognize outside of themselves no matter how “liberal” or “progressive” they are. They may say they want you to go your own direction but then wonder why you didn’t focus on them or people like them the same way every other book or study has done in the past. They’re worthy of being subjects; you and your kind are not. If their experience or knowledge isn’t at the center of it, either they are not interested or feel it must not be important. Why should I care if others know swans are black when I’ve seen them as white my whole life?
This very way of thinking has led me to the cynicism that rules my own way of approaching the world. Yet, I hold out hope, a tiny flame from a tea candle I can’t quite extinguish no matter how I try. Apparently, this is the flame that keeps me going as a writer. So until I am “discovered” and finally recognized, I’ll proudly keep being a black swan.
Copyright, © 2008, Conceding to Kismet
I was watching one of my favorite television shows, Numb3rs, when I heard an absolutely fascinating concept called “the black swan.” So far, I haven’t looked it up to check it’s validity as a true theory or just a plausible sounding one made for television, but I find it intriguing regardless. This is the gist:
Europeans once believed all swans were white, a belief corresponding to their limited experience and worldview. However, once they “discovered” Australia, they found swans there that were black. As a result, Europeans had to change their concept of a swan.
As a black woman, I find this concept comforting. As a black female writer, I find it downright useful and validating. Not only have I found a possible title for a collection of short stories I hope to release in the near future, but I’ve also found a means of marketing. Once again, I feel validated in my quest to offer my own brand of literature outside the current trend. Just because people aren’t immediately familiar with it doesn’t mean it can’t be accepted.
I’ve personally never been or tried to be someone else’s expectations. I try to reflect this in my fiction, mostly by not confining myself to just one genre. I know I’ve previously written that I don’t have much interest in either reading or writing the current popular genres of urban/street lit and erotica. Yet, I continue to believe there is an audience out there for (like) me.
If there’s one thing I learned from my grad school experience it’s that people hate to be confronted with something they don’t recognize outside of themselves no matter how “liberal” or “progressive” they are. They may say they want you to go your own direction but then wonder why you didn’t focus on them or people like them the same way every other book or study has done in the past. They’re worthy of being subjects; you and your kind are not. If their experience or knowledge isn’t at the center of it, either they are not interested or feel it must not be important. Why should I care if others know swans are black when I’ve seen them as white my whole life?
This very way of thinking has led me to the cynicism that rules my own way of approaching the world. Yet, I hold out hope, a tiny flame from a tea candle I can’t quite extinguish no matter how I try. Apparently, this is the flame that keeps me going as a writer. So until I am “discovered” and finally recognized, I’ll proudly keep being a black swan.
Copyright, © 2008, Conceding to Kismet